Layne Staley

Layne Thomas Staley was an American musician who served as the lead singer, occasional rhythm guitarist and co-songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains, which he founded with guitarist Jerry Cantrell in Seattle, Washington in 1987. Alice in Chains rose to international fame as part of the grunge, though they never thought of themselves as grunge, movement of the early 1990s. The band became known for Staley’s distinct vocal style, as well as the harmonized vocals between him and Cantrell. They were one of the many bands who were overshadowed by Nirvana and other more popular grunge bands at that time. He died of a heroin overdose on April 5th, 2002, at the age of 34.